twisted serpents for a bridle, and with one push moved the vessel as they wanted it. Baldur's body was borne to the funeral pile on board the ship; and the ceremony had such an effect ́on Nanna, that she died of grief, and her body was burned on the same pile with her husband's. Thor hallowed the pile with his mallet, and during the ceremony kicked a dwarf into the fire, because he ran before him. At Baldur's obsequies was a vast concourse. First, there was Odin with Friga, the valkyrjor, and his ravens; then Frey in his car drawn by the boar with golden bristles. Heimdall rode his horse, Gulltopp; Freyja drove in her chariot drawn by cats. There were also present many Frost-giants and giants of the mountains. Baldur's horse, fully caparisoned, was burned along with the body of his master.

Hermod pursued his journey till he arrived at the gates of Hel, and found them barred. He alighted, tightened the girths, mounted, put spurs to the horse, and at one leap sprang over the gate without touching. He found Baldur occupying the most distinguished seat in the hall; and after spending a night with him, asked Hela (death) to let Baldur return to Asgard. She said she would consent to it, provided Baldur was so beloved that every thing would weep for him. Hermod then returned, bearing a gold ring as a present to Odin from Baldur, and some valuable gifts from Nanna to Friga. Every thing wept for Baldur, except one old woman, who refused. This was found to be Loki in disguise, who never ceased to work evil among the Æsir. To escape the wrath of the gods, Loki changed himself into a salmon, was pursued down a river, and in leaping a net was caught by Thor in his hands. The gods then confined him in a cavern, with a serpent directly over him; and, as the venom drops on him, he writhes and howls, and this makes that shaking of the earth that men call earthquakes. Loki's two children were taken, and one changed to a wolf; and he immediately devoured the other.

SCANDINAVIAN MYTHOLOGY.

201

The end of all material things is known as Ragnarök-the twilight of the gods, and conflagration of the universe. The world becomes corrupt; a wolf devours the sun, and another wolf the moon; trees fall, and mountains tumble to pieces. The wolf Fenrir opens his enormous mouth, the lower jaw being on the earth, and the upper reaching to heaven; the Midgard serpent gains the land, and heaven is cleft in twain. The sons of Muspel ride through the breach, led by Surtur, in the midst of flaming fire. Bifröst breaks in pieces, and a vast assemblage gathers on the battle-field of Vigrid, which is a hundred miles long. Heimdall stands up, and, with all his might, blows a blast on the Gjallarhorn, which arouses all the gods. Odin asks advice of Mimir; the Æsir, and all the heroes of Valhalla, led by the All-father, go forth to the field of battle. The ash, Yggdrasill, begins to shake, a dissolution of all things is at hand. Odin places. himself against the wolf Fenrir, and Thor encounters the Midgard serpent. Frey meets Surtur, and they exchange terrible blows; but Frey falls, as he has been without his trusty sword ever since he fell in love with Gerda. The dog, Gram, that had been chained in a cave, breaks loose, and attacks Tyr, and they kill each other. Thor slays the Midgard serpent, thereby gaining great renown; but, retiring nine paces, he falls dead on the spot, being suffocated with the venom that the dying serpent throws over him. Odin is swallowed by the wolf; and Vidar, coming up, with his foot on the lower jaw and his hand on the upper, he tears the animal's jaws apart, and rends him till he dies. Loki and Heimdall fight and kill each other. This most terrible battle being over, Surtur darts fire and flame over the world, and the whole universe is consumed by it. A heaven, and many abodes, both good and bad, are supposed to exist after this; for the spirits of all who have lived are immortal. A new earth, most lovely and verdant, shall rise out of the sea, and grain shall grow unsown. During the conflagration, a woman named Lif (Life), and a man named Lifthrasir, lie concealed in Hodmimir's forest. They feed

on morning dew, and their dsecendants soon cover the earth again. Vidar and Vali survive the conflagration, and dwell on the plain of Ida, where Asgard formerly stood. Thither went the sons of Thor, Modi and Magni, carrying with them their father's mallet, Mjolnir. Baldur and Hödur repaired thither from the abode of death (Hel,) and there they hold converse on their past perils and adventures. A famous ship, called Skidbladnir, is spoken of, that is so large that it would hold all the Æsir, and their weapons. It was built by the dwarfs, and presented to Frey; and being constructed of many pieces and with great skill, when not wanted Frey could fold it up like a piece of cloth and put it in his pocket. In the language of the Edda,

The ash Yggdrasill,

Is the first of trees;

As Skidbladnir of ships,

Odin of Æsir,

Sleipnir of steeds,

Bifrost of bridges,

Bragi of bards,

Hábrok of hawks,

And Garm of hounds is.

EARLY LITERATURE OF THE ICELANDERS-EDDAS AND SAGAS-MANNERS AND CUSTOMS OF THE PERIOD-EXTRACTS FROM THE POETIC EDDA.

ACCORDING to the system of the Northmen, man and woman were the last and most perfect productions of the creative power. After the Æsir, the Jötuns and the Dwarfs had a being. Odin and two other deities were walking on the seashore, and came to two trees, and from them they made the first man, Asê, and the first woman, EMBLA. They had allotted to them, for a residence, Midgard, which, from being the home of man, was called Mannheim; and from these two, Ask and Embla, are descended the whole human race. Some time after this, Heimdal, the warder and trumpeter of the gods, wandered over the earth under the name of Rigr. He was received and hospitably entertained by the descendants of Ask and Embl; first by AiGreat Grandfather, and Edda-Great Grandmother, who dwelt in a lowly hut; next by Afi—Grandfather,—and Amma —Grandmother,—living in a comfortable habitation; and, lastly, by Father and Mother,* who occupied a splendid mansion. The deity, by his beneficent presence, infuses a vital energy into his hosts; and, in due time after his departure, Edda, Amma, and Mother, each gave birth to a son. The infants, are sprinkled with water at the moment of their birth; Edda's son is called Thræll-Thrall; Amma's, Karl-Churl; and mother's, Jarl, or Noble; and these three, Thrall, Churl, and Noble, have each a numerous offspring. Here is an aristocratic explanation of the

Faðir and Moðir.

4

three castes that appear, at an early period, to have formed the framework of Scandinavian society, the thralls, or slaves; the churls, or free peasants-odalsmen, as they were afterwards termed, and the nobles. The poet, in his Edda,* describes the thralls as having black hair, an unsightly countenance, uncouth appearance, and of low and deformed stature; physiological traits characteristic of the Lapps, who were probably reduced to a state of vassalage by their Scandinavian conquerors. The destiny of the thralls is to toil incessantly, in order that by their labour the churls may obtain sufficient produce from the earth to enable the nobles to live with becoming splendour. The poet shows his contempt for this class, by giving Thrall's sons such names as Frousy, Stumpy, Plumpy, Sooty face, Slowpace, Homespun, &c., and calling his daughters Lazybody, Cranefoot, Smokynose, and Tearclout. Among the churls, sons of Karl, we find such names as Stiff beard, Husbandman, Holder (of land), and Smith; the daughters being designated Prettyface, Swanlike, Blithespeech, Chatterbox, &c. The poet, though, reserves the most of his eloquence for the nobles who, he says, have fair hair, a clear complexion, and fine piercing eyes; their sole avocations being to wield the sword, dart the javelin, rein the fiery steed, chase the deer, and other elegant amusements, which Jarl's descendants still delight to astonish the churls with. Jarl-equivalent to Earl-marries Erna-Lively-the daughter of HersirBaron; but the poet only gives the names of the sons; names that usually designate relationship, as Cousin, Nephew, &c.

The literary history of Iceland, in the early ages of the republic, is of a most interesting character. When we consider the limited population of the country, and the many disadvantages under which they laboured, their literature is the most remarkable on record. The old Icelanders, from the tenth to the sixteenth century, through a period in the history of the world

*The Rigsmál, a poem of the Mythic-ethnologic class.